Le Ragnaie

The fruit for this wine comes from four unique sites at different altitudes, all in different parts of the appellation. Le Ragnaies Brunello 2017 is a tour de force of Sangiovese that runs the entire continuum of Sangiovese. It begins auspiciously with wild cherry, later unfolding pressed blue flowers, spices and potting soil. In addition to these typical tones, there are also cherry, cassis and other classic Sangiovese aromas, followed by notes of dried mint and Mediterranean herbs in the impressive final. The lasting impression of this very special Brunello is its brilliance and purity, which inspire us every year, especially in the wines of Le Ragnaie. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright ruby red. In the nose of cherries, raspberries, great integrated wood, fine spice. On the palate with pithy, red berry fruit, spans a fine arc, slightly salty final." Falstaff

"The Le Ragnaie 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is a delicate and graceful expression that unfolds carefully to reveal wild berry, dried lilac and pretty earthy tones. This fits into that enviable school of Brunello that prioritizes tradition, elegance and purity. These are the basic traits of a great Sangiovese, but they are not easily achieved by all. Le Ragnaie's identity is deeply linked with these efforts. Lifted notes of dried mint or Mediterranean herb appear on the close." Robert Parker

Since the 2015 vintage, Le Ragnaie has been vinifying another single-vineyard Brunello, which comes from the famous Montosoli vineyard and therefore also bears the black label. With the 2017 vintage, only just under 3,000 bottles come onto the market, and we are pleased that we were able to obtain at least some of them. On the nose, graceful tones of wild cherry, pressed blueberries and small blue violets growing deep in the forest. The aromas are more vertical, with cola and medicinal tones rising straight from the top. Compact and lean on the palate, with a long, medium-light persistence that leaves a precise and sharply drawn trail of fruit flavours. This expression and class can only be found in the wines of the Montosoli vineyard and this finessed wine is a real delight! SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright garnet red with a fine shimmer. Exciting nose, opens with notes of liquorice, then dried plums and pickled cherry, some tobacco, everything already quite ripe, but actually just at the right point. On the palate, dense tannins determine the course, lots of plum, emphatically grippy in the final." Falstaff

"The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli lifts up with a smoky display of cherries and strawberries, wild herbs and wet stone. It evolves further with time in the glass, adding mineral-laden soil and hints of fresh tobacco. This is a pure, round expression of Montosoli, with a pleasant inner sweetness and staining red fruits. It tapers off potent and long, with a web of fine tannins that coat the cheeks, as hints of balsamic spice slowly taper off. Give this feisty expression of the 2017 vintage a few years of cellaring to come fully into focus." Vinous

"Located directly beside the cellar of the historic Baricci estate, Le Ragnaie’s Montosoli holding is a 1ha, east-facing plot at 300 metres above sea level. It impresses immediately, exhibiting enormous depth on the nose. Plums, violets and earthy truffle notes are backlit by bright cherry. The palate brings in nuances of orange and tar, while linear tannins are tightly wound and sandy in texture. The fruit is plentiful without being heavy, overripe or obvious. Finishing long and savoury this is one of the wines of the vintage." Decanter

With the 2017 vintage, the third single-vineyard Brunello Le Ragnaies celebrates its debut. Only 3,000 bottles of this wine, which comes from Montalcino's highest vineyard, will be bottled. The choice of the vineyard, situated over 600 metres above sea level, is also due to climate change, where winemakers are increasingly looking for cooler sites for Sangiovese - and the result is again a Brunello of the absolute special class: on the nose, leather, tobacco, small red berries and a surprisingly fresh, clearly mineral note. The wine, although it appears very graceful and bright, is punchy and long. Its grippy tannins and finely knit acidity underline our impression that this wine still has a long life ahead of it. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento lifts up with a delicate bouquet of sweet herbs and tobacco, incredibly lifted yet spicy, and a bit exotic, as a flourish of mineral-laden crushed stone fills the glass. It’s silky-smooth and savory, presenting a pure display of wild berries enlivened by bright acidity and a salty flourish. This tapers off lean and mineral in nature, with grippy tannins offset by a burst of sour citrus. The Passo del Lume Spento hails from what Riccardo Campinoti believes is currently the highest-elevation vineyard-producing Brunello in the region, at 621 meters. It found a very pretty balance in the 2017 vintage." Vinous

"From a single vineyard which sits on a sandstone plateau at 621 metres above sea level, this first release of Passo del Lume Spento is particularly significant, not just for Le Ragnaie but for the entire region especially as it corresponds with the blistering 2017 vintage. A harbinger of the future? It exhibits fresh aromas of lavender and fennel with warm, fragrant earth and a subtle smokiness. A mid-weight, crunchy, sinewy wine, it tastes of red berries squeezed from rocky earth, accompanied by tangy acidity." Decanter

"The Le Ragnaie 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento sees its fruit sourced from one of the highest places in the appellation, or the "pass of the extinguished lantern," as the wine's name translates into English. It is part of a broader trend that Montalcino vintners seem to be looking for cooler, high-altitude growing sites for Sangiovese. This wine demonstrates without a doubt that elevation is key in obtaining elegance in the warm years. This Brunello is particularly bright, punchy and energetic." Robert Parker

The first Brunello of the estate's three Black Label vineyard editions comes from 60-year-old vines that grow at an altitude of over 600 metres. Many years ago, Le Ragnaie decided against bottling a Riserva with this vineyard-by-vineyard vinification; instead, it consistently relies on the terroir diversity of its vineyards. Of all three vineyards, Vecchie Vigne is the most classic wine with a pronounced concentration and personality. Wild berries, blue flowers, balsamic herbs and crushed stone emerge intensely on the nose. On the palate, it is firm, powerful and crisp, revealing dark fruits, roses, spices and baked clay after initial reticence. The wine develops rapidly in the glass and reveals its depth and length only after quite some time, and we are very curious to see how it will develop over the next few years. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright, intense ruby-violet. Opens on the nose with notes of ripe plums, wild raspberries and some spicy chestnut honey. Lots of fresh fruit on the palate, fresh, perceptible acidity, gives good tension, full pressure on the final." Falstaff

"The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie VV is vivid with wild herbs, crushed stone and dusty strawberry in a display that is airy and sweetly spiced. Ripe cherry-berry fruits flesh out on the palate as inner florals arch across the medium-bodied framework. There’s a fantastic salty mineral and acid mix that saturates over time, giving way to a coating of primary concentration and fine tannins that linger long. The 2017 maintains excellent balance and freshness for the vintage, yet it will require patience to be fully appreciated." Vinous

"At a cool 600 metres with a warm southwest exposure, Le Ragnaie’s oldest vines were planted in 1968. It seems to have more of everything in 2017. You can almost smell the warmth as wild blackcurrant and tar waft from the glass. It's a chewier expression than the rest of the estate’s single-vineyard bottlings, though the tannins still exhibit their signature tight austerity. Just a touch of dryness pokes through but there is plenty of fruit concentration to carry this as it assumes a more graceful gait." Decanter

"With fruit from 50-year-old plants, the Le Ragnaie 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie V. V. is one of three black-label special selections made by this estate. Instead of a Riserva program, Le Ragnaie focuses on territorial identity and single-vineyard expressions. This pretty wine shows the distinctive concentration that comes from the old vines, but that is also a result of the hot growing season. Dark fruit, rose, spice and baked clay emerge from this medium to full-bodied Brunello. Production is 3,800 bottles." Robert Parker